Chapter 74 meet with him
Seated on Idris’s bed, I stared around his room with my thoughts far away. I had nothing to say about everything that was currently happening to me. I was fine with the case of pregnancy but I didn’t like the thoughts of the war and magic. It seemed like a surreal to me. For a moment I kept looking around as I thought about the words Zara had told me. Everything in this world was real but surreal in the world where Ashley was.
I looked around for a good time but just as I was gazing around, something odd along the wall of the windows across from me caught up my attention. Partially hidden behind one of the pulled back curtains looked like the edge of the door. It was thin and hidden between two tall windows. “I haven’t seen this door before”, I mused to myself before getting up from the bed. Forgetting about Zara’s words, I made my way to the thing that had captured my mind.
The wood was old and textured with its age as though it hadn’t been taken care of like the basement door. My curiosity got the best of me as it had to the basement and I pushed on the handle. It took some effort but it finally swung open with a distressed groan. I was a bit worried that the thing would fall right off its hinges but I still didn’t stop.
As soon as I entered in the room, I gasped audibly at the sight. Built along this section of Idris’s house was an abandoned greenhouse. It was small with one wall being Idris’s house and the other three a beautiful crystalline glass that reflected the remaining light outside like diamond facets along the ground.
The roof slanted from the dark stone wall and I raised up my face to absorb this wondrous new find. At the back wall of glass, there was a massive fountain set against it and although I have never seen one in real life, I knew it that it was ominous face of a dragon with its wide open maw that made up the fountain.
It appeared to be clogged with dead plants but I was sure water was supposed to be pouring from its mouth like ancient stories would say the beasts of ancient times spewed fire. Giant rubies were set in its eyes and the longer I stared at them, I could almost hear the roar of creature from centuries ago.
Awe was blooming in my chest as I went to explore the entire greenhouse. Empty flower beds and vases lined the walls and shelves. The earth against this place was full of withered weeds and things that had been once alive. Something inside my soul could feel the emptiness of this place.
It was like a ghost of sorrow was haunting this once beautiful home of life. “It was our mother’s greenhouse.” Just as I was standing, I heard the voice behind me. It was Zara who had told me that she will come back and check on me. “What happened to it?”, I asked staring everywhere.
“It’s a long story but this all happened after Brian choosing darkness over us,” I could hear the hint of hurt in her voice. “She felt hurt that’s all I can tell you Raelynn, she abandoned most of the things she used to care for,” she went on but this time I felt tears brim in my eyes. I didn’t know what the hell was happening to me but I was already feeling hurt too.
“Anyway Raelynn, I had come over to check on you, once you done meet me in the kitchen,” she said then after nodding my head, she walked out. Left alone, I knelt among the dead things and started to weep. Tears cascaded down my cheeks and flowed freely onto the dry soil beneath me as I slowly recalled everything I passed through. My body rocked with vehement sobs and I let out all of the sorrow that was seeping into my bones.
This greenhouse needed my help, I just felt the voice in the back of my head. I recalled my small garden I had when I was still with Jack. I wanted to bring this place back to life. Along the wall of Idris’s house small light sconcing with those same mythical glowing crystals found on the streets of Blue Moon pack suddenly brightened.
The dust on the crystal lights burned away and a bright light emanated from each one. I turned up my face and felt the power from them that felt similar to the sun. Though they were weak in comparison, they were still dazzling. The new light in the delicate greenhouse showed me that among perished plants there was still hope for this place.
The forsaken tools were still all around. I could feel the spark of life hiding below the surface just awaiting for a moment to shine. My first task was unclogging the fountain. I grabbed a few dusty tools from a small work bench and pushed my sleeves to get to work. Outside the sky was black and sleet pelted the glass but inside the nursery bed, I had glowing light and cold didn’t reach me.
After some time the dress I had put on was filthy and dirt was under my nails and up to my elbows. Smudges of soil marred my face from wiping sweat with dirty hands. And when the fountain finally began a slow trickle of water hours later, I cried out with joy but I didn’t stop there. I honestly felt energized as I worked in the dirt and soil.
After a while the sound of a fully running fountain kept me going and the next thing I knew I was turning up the soil in every flower bed and pot I could put my hands on. On a large planter, I tossed weeds into that I plucked out. My hands were grimy and dark with the dry top soil and in the back of my mind, I knew it that this dress was totally ruined.
I didn’t care about it. The sudden urgency to restore this place had sunk its claws in my heart and I was determined to make this place lovely and green once again. I felt refreshed though my body became weary. My spirit was renewed with the passion I held for what I had planned. It wasn’t until the storm clouds parted to reveal the rising sun and white crystal lights faded.
I realized that I had spent an entire night working in the garden. “Oh! God’s I have to meet Zara in a few hours,” I berated myself at how foolish I had been pushing myself for long and into a state of exhaustion. In a rush I forced my tired legs to stand up and left the tools I have been using on their place at the work bench.
After one last content look back into the greenhouse, I closed that old door behind me and bolted to Idris’s room. After peeling the soiled dress from my flesh, I sank into an extreme hot bath and slowly scrubbed myself.